Phillies star embraces new contact lenses

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It may not be a noticeable change – not in normal lighting, anyway – but Bryce Harper believes it could make a significant difference for him in 2019.

The Philadelphia Phillies outfielder has started wearing new transition contact lenses in the weeks and months leading up to Opening Day, utilizing technology that is primarily for changing light and is designed to minimize the effects of bright light on the eye. The photochromic technology has long been used in transition glasses, which darken when exposed to sunlight, but it's new to contact lenses.

"It's a little trippy, where my eyes go from blue to brown when I go outside," Harper customs USA TODAY Sports in a phone interview Wednesday. "But for me, it's a one-of-a-kind product this offseason, being able to be one of the first (people) to use it – especially as a baseball player where my vision is huge for me."

Harper spoke to the United States TODAY Sports as part of an endorsement deal with the contact lens fire, ACUVUE OASYS with Transitions.

Harper said he's long needed contact lenses to correct his vision and has them since eighth grade, but they've given him issues in the past. The Washington Post reported in 2011 that contacts gave Harper headaches in high school, and when he joined the Washington Nationals a few years later, a team optometrist was shocked to discover that the teenage slugger was "blind as a bat."

The 26-year -old said he's been able to find more comfortable lenses in recent years, though he did take a few at-bats regularly during a game last season after struggling to get his contacts in. And when Acuvue approached him during the offseason about a lense that might better help him deal with bright lights, he said he was "kind of hooked" and wanted to give them a try.

"The sunlight and the lights of the stage would really interfere with my eyes a little bit and make me squint a little bit harder or not be able to look in the light as long, "Harper explained. "So be able to have a lens that transitions into a darker lens for me has been huge. … (That) split-second of making contact or striking out, or misreading a ball, it can definitely help me in that circumstance, as well. "

Harper was one of the most highly-coveted free agents in baseball this offseason before he decided to [13459040] sign a 13-year, $ 330-million contract with the Phillies late last month. Philadelphia will face the Atlanta Braves on Opening Day on Thursday before starting a two-game series with Harper's former team, the Nationals, on Tuesday.

The 2015 National League MVP said it will be strange walking into the visiting clubhouse at Nationals Park , and strange to step into the battery box against forms teammate Max Scherzer, a two-time Cy Young Award winner. ("Nobody really looks forward to facing Cy Young," Harper said.)

Though Harper isn't sure what kind of reception he'll get before his first at bat in Washington as a division rival, he's excited for it nonetheless.

"I'm probably going to get some cheers. I'm going to hear some angry, I would think," Harper said. "(But) I'm looking forward to going back and being a part of that." Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad .